The countries of the East and Central Africa region, namely Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, namely Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), namely Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya have initiated a regional agricultural transformation project. This project is under preparation and will be financed by the World Bank. Each participating country must develop its own component, taking into account national specificities.

The Burundian component of the project includes, among other things, the establishment of a Regional Leadership Center (CLR) for the bean sector and the strengthening of National Specialization Centers (CNS) on the maize, rice, cassava and milk sectors. The implementation of the project, particularly with regard to these sectors, calls for the construction and operation of certain rural infrastructures, in particular hydro-agricultural infrastructures, units (or industries) of transformation and laboratories that are likely to have negative impacts on environment and on society. It is therefore in order, on the one hand, to effectively and efficiently manage the negative environmental and social impacts associated with investments and, on the other hand, to be in compliance with national environmental legislation and the Operational Policy of the World Bank, PO/PB 4.01 — “Environmental Assessment”, that this CGES is developed. This CGES only covers the Burundian component of the project.